Dry-kiln for lumber.



J. M. LBAVPR= DRY KILN FOR LUMBER.

91.1011121011 FILED 11011.29, 1911.

1,039 30'52", i Patented 361111211912.

5.8HBETS-SHEET l.`

llll

J. M. LEAVBR.

DRY KILN ro LUMBEB.

APPLICATION FILED HOV. 29, X911.

1,039,302. Patent-,ed sept. 24,1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. M. LEAVER.

DRY KILN FOR LUMBER.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov. 29, 1911.

, Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ffy. Y Y Z n il??? 'Y 'A i Z0 J. M. LEAVER.

DRY KILN FOR LUMBER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov, 29. w11.

1,089,302. Patented sept. .24, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 J. M. LEAVBR.

DRY KILN FOB LUMBER.

APPLIOATION rum) Nov. ze, 1011.

1,039,302. Patented Sept.24,1912

f j@ a zaza@ 3,1/1 lue nto@ @2M/tuna@ 5 J5 Jcw 1L* @Leal/er;

JAMES M. LEAVER, CIF LONGBEACH. CAlZIFORNAA DRY-KILN FOR LUMBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente-d Supt. 24, '1912.

Application filed November 29, 1911. Serial No. '6G-3A0?,

in it known that l., JAMES M. Lmynn, :i citizen ot' the [initrd Sintes, residing at Longhoneh, in the County ot Los Angsten und Sinto of California, have inventid :i new nd ncfnl Dry-Kiln for Lumbery of which tlnfollowing is :i speciliraition.

Thr invention rennt-.5 to improvements in dry kilns for lumber.

The object oi' tho provient iiwmition ito improve the construction of dry kilns, more mpeciully that ehon'n und` described in an application filed by ine tin ox about July 10, 1911, Serial No. 637.805, und to provide :i simple, etlicint :ind comparatively inexpen .sivel dry kiln. equipped :ahorn its drying tlniinbcr with :in interwning sparta between the suine and the roof of the kiln and adapted to mix heated insist air from tin kiln with the cold air, and divided into ii plurality of separate mixing ducts or churn bers, extending across the top ot' the drying trlnnnber and connected by side ducts or passages with the blottorn of the kiln and prrmitting mixed Cold air and 'the heated moist air to traverse the kiln in opposite directions und producing iilternateiy reverse rotnry circulation around the drying chainlwi; whereby thorough diffusion of heat., nioisinrte and :xir is srrnred and' the liest reinlts obtained for dryingir lumber.

lith these :ind other objects in View, the invention comists in the construction and novel conihinrttion of parte hereinafter fully tl0 i1'ilJetl. illustrated in the accnmpanying ilrilwings's. and pointed out in th@ claims heron) anpendeti; it bring understood that `farious changes in the form. proportion.

:ind minor details of conttuction. within the y Scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sncriiring any of the advantages of the invention.

Vln thv drawings@Figure l n vrrtit-al (-tntrzil longitudinal sertional ritww of a dry kiln` conRtrnt'ted in accordant-,n with this invention. the Sertinn being taken on the lin(` 1-1 of Fig, Fiff. 2 is'a loiniitudinal sectional view on the lin@y f2 of Fig. G, Fig. 3 i5l :i horizontal Sentional View on the lino SW3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4- is n similar View on the line #di of Fin. l. Fig. Y is, :i horizontal seftionnl iow on thtl linel of Figi. l. Fig. f3 is a transverse .wrtinnnl view on tht' line lf o1 Fig. l. Fig. I i; n Uniilni' vivir on tho lint 'iT-4T of' Fifi'. l. Fig, fi truzwwrst sertionl View on the iine 8--8 of Fig. i. Eig. 'zi ifa :i treinn'erfr Sectional vivn' on they lint twv oi i. Fig. l0 n (lvtztil longitnoinul ntwtmnail. 'finir of ontl ot thv univv or Minn of i lutin iliusn trilling ni'iotlmr cnilitiiiiun" tion. Fig. ll i:-, ai Sii ii f :inotlnfr forni of infinioii. ,siiiiilur Yi:`V nf www? .mention or unit illii'-1tr t:i in

Like nuintrnls rtspnnding www in :ill drz'twings.

The dryV kiln iiltiftife 1 litt* so tomi :in interuniing Spar fair ill i, mini; unid liezittd mont nir from the drying;W instead of rainippnt tin? dri' ltiin mili ii Singl@ ftu'itinnons renting lmnilwi" t'f'nrl ingr fion: on@ vnd of tht* Ykiln to i' otlnr in, the nninntr illustrated in 1hr norvmni zip pliciition. tlitintvrwninny sin@ hntwern thol top will or Peiling 7 and the roof 3 Tit tin!Y kiln dividtd hy :i pinrritiity of transveripartitions into wpnrnte trininwrer or Chambers i", exivndingf arrow tht top ot' the drying rlnimlier troni uw sisi@ of the dry kiln to the other und :winnt-dvd with theI bottoni thcreof hy dirfts or "purengeitg and adapted "to permit a rin-nld .on of huit, tir and moisture around the kinn lite tirtul'lition through one mixing duct or fliainiier i hw in ontx tlirotion whilf; the tircnlntinn through the next :rdimm-ni initing duct or chmnlwr 7 is in the oppositv dirt-istinti. ihn sections or units of the kiln heilig :iltrrnnteli' rvveiroely arranged tn produ raadt rnd thereby secure a thor-fififzh i ni h-lrithv :tir anni nmiajurt within f #linnn lier. The kiln may Cor imnilwr of these sections or unitn. n it i .'wrrtion or unil; is provided :it opp es of the dryingr chamber with :i serien of 'vertical ducts or pasezitres. At wir@ `iifle of the drjv' ing chainlier the striefs of the rertirzil pas gtiges or dut'ts trombate of n surtion dntft :i Cold nir durft :ind hot air ducts l() :1nd l lof'ated fit opposite Sidvs of tlw mld air dint the hot nir duri l0 lining ziri'ungrd between tln) sii/:lion dii-et S :ind thel mid ,sir duet A( the opposite side of the drying chalutier,

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slightly contracted, as clearly shown in Fi 6 to 0 inclusive. The kiln is provided with a bottom 14, and it has a horizontal partition 15 spaced from the bottom 14 and also from the floor 16 of the drying chamber to form a lower cold air space l17 and an` upper space, which is divided by partitions 18 into transverse bottom passa es 19, communicating with the lower en arged portions 2O of the return ducts or passages, and extending across the kiln below the Hoor 16 and communicating with the interior of the drying chamber by intermediate and side openings 21 and 22, the side openings 22 being of a smaller area than the intermediate openings 21 to cause the greater portion of mixed air to enter the lower portion of the drying chamber at points between the sides of thel same. The horizontal bottom ducts 10 are closed at the side of the kiln opposite that at which the return duets or passages are located. The lower enlarged end 23 ot the cold air duct 9 is provided with an opening 24, communicating with the bottom cold au' space 17, which has inlet openings 25, located at the ends of the kiln. The ends of, the kiln are equipped at the main air inlet openings 25 with slidable doors or closures mounted in suitable guides 27 and adapted to be adjusted to control the volume of cold air admitted to the kiln. The cold air ducts or passages of the various units or sections of the kiln are all connected with the bottom cold air space and receive their supply of cold air from the same. lnstead` however, of equipping the dry kiln with the bottom cold air space or conduit 17, cold air may be supplied to the cold air ducts of tht` various sections or units of the dry kiln in any other preferred manner.

The hot air ducts or passages 10 `and 11 are provided with horizontal partitions 28, located at an intermediate point between the top and bottom of the drying chamber and form a wall, which closes the lower portions of the hot air ducts or passages. The said hot air duets or passages are provided adjat-em to and immediately above the horizontal partitions 28 with openings 29, communicating with the interior of the drying elian'iber, and adapted to permit heatedv moist air from the same to pass upward through the, hot air ducts or passages to the' mixingv duet or chamber for causing portions of the heated moist air of the drying Chamber to commingle with the cold air from the outside of the kiln before the cold air reaches the drying chamber, whereby both heat and lmoisture are siupplied to the cold air, and the latter raised to a higher temperature by the steam lor heating plpes than is possible when cold air is conducted directly to the said pipes, as explained in the aforesaid application. The upper ends of the hot air ducts `or assages communicate with the transverse y disposed mixing duct or chamber atlone end thereof.

The suction duct 8 is provided at a oint intermediate of the top and bottom o the drying chamber with a horizontal partition 30, and it has an opening 31 located above the partition and communicatin with the interior of the drying chamber. e upper portion of the suction duct passes through the mixing duct or chamber and is close to the same and is connected with a hooded chimney or stack 32, formin a continuation of the suction duct and aapted to create suiiicient draft or suction to cause the circulation through the ducts or passages of the unit or section with which it is connected. Each chimney or stack isA provided below its top or hood 32 with opposite outlets 33, and it is equipped with a suitable damper or valve 34, having exterior operating means 35 and adapted to be`adjusted for controllin the draft or suction. While the exterlor damper operating means is shown in the form of a rod, it may, of course, be of any other preferred construction. The cold air entering the` kiln through the main inlet openings 25 passes into t'ie cold air duct of each section or unit, and is drawn upward by the suction through the cold air duct into from the hot air ducts or passages. Thev mixture travels downwardly through the return ducts or passages to the transverse bo*- tom ducts or passa Yes and enters the drying chamber through t e openings 21 and 22 in the Hoor thereof. In this manner the air, heat and moisture circulate around the drying chamber and through the alternate reversal of the sections or units the direction of circulation is reversed, which results in a thorough diffusion of heat, moisture and air, thereby securin drying of lum er. Each set or series of ducts constituting a unit of the dry kiln performs the mixing suction and return functions independently of the other sets, and at the same time all of the sets operate in and around one drying chamber and in conjunction with a single heating means.

The kiln may be constructed of any desired capacity, and in the accompanying drawings it is shown with two tracks for the reception of kiln cars 36 upon which the lumber or other material to be dried may be loaded and arranged in any desired manner. The rails 37 of the tracks ire supthe best conditions for the.

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`pipes and is raised to a high temperature, ,and as it is moist by the mixture of a portion of the air of the drying chamber of the kiln, it possesses greater advanta es than highly heated dry air, it being a wel known fact that `a certain amount of moisture must remain iii vthe kiln in orderto keep the surface of the lumber soft and the pores open vto prevent warping, checking, hollow horn-.

ing, case hardening and other injurious results. The moisture may be supplied to the kiln by any suitable means.

The lvertical ducts or passages at opposite :sidcsof'the unitsor sections may be arranged` in ,various ways. In Fig. 10 of the drawings isillustrated one side of a unit comprising three ducts or passages and hav- `ing a suction duct 39, arranged centrally between combined cold air and hot air ducts .gorzpassagest The vertical ducts or pasysages-AO are'provided at their lowerl ends efwith coldgair inlet` openings 41 fand ha ve openings 4,2 located at a point intermediate needs xt,l ',he'mxing duct or' chamber and the mix-` of theupper and lower-ends of theduct's or -pas'sages40 and communicatingwith thel l 1dryi'iig;chamber.` ABy lthis construction, `cold pair fromv the,l outside of ,the ,kiln'and vheated .1

istr r'; from thei drying' chamber. are"` c on hrough the .same ducts or passages Vtiori takes place" before J,the li'cold,` air heated moist air enter the mixing de chamben lI-"FigS- ll and 12 villustrated anbther iarra'ngeiiient-,of theJ'ertical ducts or passages.-

igi which shows Athe vertical "ducts or passages at one side of the unit,

afcentrally arranged cold -airduct or passage tjisvlocated between hot. air ducts or passages 44, and the suction duct or pas` sage 45 is located at the oppesite side of the unit or section of the kiln between return ducts vor passages 46, whichI cionduct the mixture from ,the mixing duct or chamber to the. bottom of the drying chamber. The cold air duct 43 is provided at its lower end with an inlet Opening 47, which communicates with thev cold air space at the bottom of the kiln, and the hot air ducts 44 are provided with openings 4S, which communicate with the interior of the drying chamber. The return ducts 46 are provided at their lower ends with openings 49, connected with the transverse bottom ducts or passages of'the kiln.

The isiiction ducts 39 and 45 are provided with openings 50 and 51, which communicate with the drying chamber, and the upper ends of the suction ducts 89 and 45t are con-l comprisin nected with hooded stacks or chimneys 52 and 53, constructed similar to those hereto-A fore described. lVhile the return ducts are located at the opposite side'or end of the mixing chamber or duct from the cold air duct, and the means for supplyingthe heated moist air, the suction ducts or fpassages mayv be located at either side o the drying chamber,

The dry kiln may be constructed'v in series, 75 as explained 'in the aforesaid ap lication, or it may be provided with a singlii drying chamber, as shown in the accompanying drawings The ends of the drying chamber are closed by suitable doors 54, which may so be of any preferred construction.

lfVhat is claimed is t 1. A dry kiln including a dryingchainber, heating means at the bottom thereof,

a plurality of sets of ducts or passages each 35 comprising a mixing Vduct,-o1-chzamiber located at Lhe'top of the drying chamber, a.

cold air passage located at; one endvoft-he mixing d uctor chamber and extending up- .ward from the lower portion of the kiln to $0 the said lmixing duct or chamber, a return duct extending from the .otherend of 'the mixing duct or chambertothejbottom .ofc

'the drying. ychamber andj communicating therewith', and means for conducting heated '96 air fromvthe drying'chambei to the-mixing ductpghamber. E 1 y 2.f rytkilnfinc udingia dryi chani`Vrrl` ber, heatingmeans at, thegbottomngthereof, a pluralityofl sets of-ducts'orpassagoseach 100 Y a mi'xingductbr chamber lo-v` Y cated at... t 'e top of theidry'ing'ch'amber, a. cold air -passageflocated atoneend offthe mixing duct or chamber andextendin up'- ward from ythe-,lower portion of the 4kiln to 1:05`

the said Vmixing duct or chamber, a return duct extending from the other end of the mixing duct or chamber to the bottom f the drying chamber and communicating1 therewith, and means for introducing the heated moist air from the drying chamber into the mixing chamber at the same end as the cold air.

3. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, and a plurality of separate sets of ducts or passages comprising separate mixing ducts or chambers located at the top of the drying chamber, ducts or passages connected with the mixing ducts or chambers at one end thereof for conducting cold air from the exterior of the kiln and heated moist i air from the drying chamber to the saidmixing ducts or chambers, return ducts extending downwardly from the other end of the mixing ducts or |chambers to the bottom 1,25 of the kiln and communicating with the drying chamber, and a separate suction duct for each of said sets of ducts or passages communicating with the dryin chamber, and heating means located within the drying chamber and arranged in the path of the air entering the same.

4. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, and a plurality of sets of ducts or passages each comprising a mixing duct ar extending across the top ofthe drying cha .Y ber from one side of the kiln to the otl.-v r, a cold air duct extending upwardly from the lower portion of the kiln and connected with one end of the mixing duct, a return 5. A dry kiln including 4a4 dryingAcham-- ber, and a plurality of separate sets of ducts or passages comprising mixing ducts arranged at the to of the drying chamber,

cold and hot airtlucts connected with-the mixing chamber at one endtliereof for conducting cold air from the outside of the kiln and heated'moist air frointhe drying chamber to t-he mixing chamber, ret-urn ducts connected with the. mixin ,ducts at the other end thereof and exten ing therefrom to the lower portion of the kiln and communicati.l with the chamber at the bottom thereof, and suction ductsf'connected with the drying chamber, said -sets of ducts or passages being reversed at intervals to arrange their correspondingl ducts at opposite ends of the mixing ducts. L 6. A dry kiln including a drying chamber,

and separate sets of ductsor passages eachy comprising'a transverse mixing duct extending acrosthe top of the drying chamber, a vertical cold air duct extending from one end of the mixingdiict to the lower portion of the kiln, a hot air duct located at the sa'me end of the mixing duct as the cold air duct and communicating with the drying chamber for conducting heated moist air therefrom to the mixing duct, a plurality of return ducts extending from the other en-i vof the mixing duct to the lower portion of the kiln and communicating with the drying chamber at the bottom thereof, a suction duct communicating with the drying chamber, and a chimney or stack connected with the suction duct.d

7. A dry kiln includinga drying cliam ber. and separate sets of dicts or passages each comprising a transversemixing duct extending across the top of the drying chamber, a vertical cold air duct extending from one end of the mixing duct to the lower portion of the kiln, a hot air duct located at the same end of the mixing duct as the cold air duct and communicating with the drying chamber for conducting heated moist air therefrom to the mixing duct, a plurality of return ducts extending from the other end of the mixin duct to the lower portion of the kiln an communicating with the drying chamber at the bottom thereof, a suction duct communieating with the drying chamber and closed to the same, and a chimney or stack connected with and forming a continuation of .the suction duct.

8. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, a plurality of separate transvrfse mixingducts extendi across the top of the drying chamber and c osed to the same at the top thereof a plurality of ducts connected with each o the mixing ducts at one end thereof for con ducting cold air from the outside of the kiln and heated moist air'fi'om the d chamber to the mixing ducts, a plurality o return ducts connected with the other end of each of the mixing ducts and extending therefrom to the lower portion of the and communicating with the lirying chamber at the bottom thereof, and a plurality of chimneys or stacks connected with the drying'chamber for creating a suction or draft of the kiln and communicating with t e di'ying chamber at the bottom thereof, and hot air ducts connecting the mixing duct with the drying chamber.

10. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, a plurality of separate mixing ducts extending across the top of the drying chamber, a continuous cold air space or conduit arranged beneath the drying chamber, a plu ralit-y of lower transverse ducts located between the cold air space or conduit and the bottom of the drying chamber vand communicating with the latter, cold air ducts extending upward from the cold air space 0r conduit to the mixing ducts at one end thereof, return ducts connected with the mixing ducts at the other end thereof and extending downward to and connected with the said lower transverse ducts, hot airnducts for conducting heated moist air from the drying chamber to the mixing duct, and chimneys or stacks connected with the' drying chamber for causing a circulation through the said ducts.

Adrying chaiii- Y 11. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, separate transverse mixing ducts 4extending across the top of"the drying chamber, vertical ducts located at opposlte sides of the kiln and connected with the mixing ductv and having lower enlarged portions7 the ducts at one end of each mixing duct communicating with the outside air and with the drying chamber and the ducts at the other end of each mixing duct yextending downward from the same to the lower ortion of the kiln and connected with the ottom of the drying chamber, separate suction ducts also communicating with the dryin Y, chamber, and chimneys or Stacks connecte with the suction ducts.

12. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, a plurality of separate transverse mixing ducts extending across the top of th'e drying chamber, a plurality of vertical cold and hot air ducts ananged in one end of each of the mixing ducts and communicating with the outside atmos here and with thc drying chamber for conducting cold air and heated moist air to the mixlng ducts, a plurality of vertical return ducts located at the other end of each of the mixing ducts and extending downward therefrom to the `lower portion ot' the drying chamber and commnnimxting with the same. the said ducts at the ends of the mixing duct being alternntely reversed to arrange the cold and hot air duct.; ot' the adjacent mixing ducts at opposite sides of the kiln for causing the air to circulate through the mixing ducts in opposite directions, and chimneys or stacks connected with the drying chamber for producing a circulation through the said ducts.

13. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, heating means, a plurality of separate sets of ducts or passa es, each set comprising a mixing duct or c amber located at the top of the drying chamber, a cold air assage located at one end of the mixing uct or chamber, a return duct extending from the other end of the mixing duct or chamber te the drying chamber and communicating therewith, and means for Conducting heated moist air from the drying chamber to the mixing duct or chamber.

ll. A dry kiln including a drying chamber, heating means, a plurality of separate sets of ducts or passages, each set comprising a mixing duct or chamber located at the top of the drying chamber and traversing the same from one of the walls of the kiln to the opposite wall thereof, a cold air passage located at one end of the mixing duct or chamber, a return duct extending from the other end of the mixing duct or chamber to the drying chamber and communicating therewith, and means for conducting heated moist air from the drying chamber to the mixing duct or chamber and for introducing it into the latter at the same end as the cold air.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own. l have hereunto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J AMES M. LEAVER.

witnesses R. lai/'ING MAXWELL, G. Taxran 

